Students will study voice and audience requirements in the context of professional writing in this unit. At the end of the lesson, students are going to:
- Think about how you can impress a potential future employer.
- Make a good cover letter to go with your resume.

- How much does the writing process influence writing quality? 
- How does writing function in our daily lives?

- Cover Letter: A professional letter briefly introducing the applicant and identifying which qualities make him/her a fit for the company’s needs. It also lists any attachments or files enclosed and provides contact information. 
- Salutation: The greeting or opening on a cover letter, often “To Whom It May Concern.” 
- Closing: Final words and expression of gratitude for considering the applicant for a position.

- Drafting a Cover Letter (L-C-6-2_Drafting a Cover Letter)
- Sample Cover Letters (L-C-6-2_Sample Cover Letters)

- When discussing the structure and content of a cover letter, keep an eye out for any misunderstandings and provide more examples of possible inclusions as needed.
- To determine the different comprehension levels of the students, circulate during formatting time.
- Make sure that students' comments are focused on the likely responses from specific audiences rather than just how they feel personally if they are working in small groups to determine how different cover letters are receiving feedback.
- Once submitted, cover letters should be reviewed for accuracy in spelling, editing, category completeness, visual spacing, and contact details.

 

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement 
W: Explain at the beginning of the class how composing a cover letter relates to the application process and that it is a necessary component of the final assessment portfolio. 
H: The hook starts with a cultural motto and a quick self-reflective analysis of the "appearances" of the students. Subsequently, promote student involvement by generating ideas regarding the requirements of an employer via analytical reasoning and recognizing diverse viewpoints. Asking students to picture actual jobs and employers in their future selves will help to make the real-world component of this writing as tangible as possible. 
E: To help students relate to the experiences more fully, brainstorm about actual businesses and the qualities that their ideal employees should possess. All students will gain the skills required for the unit and course with the help of the prediction piece about what a specific reader would like to see from an applicant. 
R: Encourage students to consider how the structure of expository essays and nonfiction cover letters are comparable. Writing with the interests of the potential employer in mind will make the writer reconsider the concepts and language they should employ. 
E: Direct students in comparing and contrasting two cover letters and help them to articulate their understandings through group brainstorming of employer needs. Following the informational segment, students will have the opportunity to evaluate the letters' efficacy. 
T: To meet individual needs, you could create flexible student work groups and deadlines. Throughout the course, you will have the option to create and assess cover letters using intrapersonal and verbal/linguistic multiple-intelligence strategies, interpersonal discussion, and logical/mathematical critical evaluation at each step. Sample cover letters can also be customized based on the reader's proficiency. 
O: To help students acquire skills, the lesson is organized in the following order: prior knowledge access, information, guided practice, comprehension check, and extension.

 

Topic: How can a writer convey a voice and persona in a cover letter that is reliable, skilled, and driven?

Part 1

"Are you familiar with the proverb, 'Never Judge a Book by its Cover'? What does that signify?" (Avoid drawing conclusions or preconceptions from your initial encounters.) But even in the business world, this is a daily occurrence as a result of our survival instinct. What does your "cover" look like? This lesson will assist you in assessing how prospective employers will perceive your cover letter when it is printed."

Keep going: "A cover letter serves as an introduction to the writer and a statement of the purpose of submitting a resume for a particular job. It allows the writer to showcase their personality, show that they are concerned about the work they do, and even hint at their level of originality. To do this successfully, a writer decides on:

business requirements

material

formatting."

"Assess the potential employer's business before writing a cover letter." Take brainstorming sessions in groups about well-known companies such as Apple® or IBM®. Ask students to respond to the following inquiries regarding the company:

"What is its objective?"

"What achievements does it have?"

"For what is it most well-known?"

"What recent activities, products, and trends does it offer?"

"What explicit and implicit needs does the company have for employees?"

"If the applicant has experience with or ideas for the company's needs, you can mention them in a brief, congrats-oriented manner when referencing their positive responses. Keep specifics for the interview; don't include them in the correspondence."

"Is it an established or startup company? Which voice would be more appropriate to present—a traditional, conservative one or a lively, catchy, modern one? Terminology, syntax, and punctuation all contribute to the creation of voice. Finally, in light of the needs of the company, which of your abilities or experiences should be highlighted in the cover letter?"

"Consider and research a specific employer you might apply to for a job as a class or in pairs." (Take into account the surrounding fast-food restaurants, farms, shops, tourist attractions, and corporate buildings.) Prepare responses to each of the previously listed business research questions.

Part 2

Writing the letter itself is the next step. Describe how a cover letter follows the same format as an expository essay, with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Give the handout "Drafting a Cover Letter" (L-C-6-2_Drafting a Cover Letter) to the students.

Talk about the differences between writing a letter "To Whom It May Concern" and addressing it to the individual who is receiving the resumes. (The first demonstrates the commitment to studying specifics.)

"Start the opening paragraph with a succinct attention-getter after addressing the letter. Statistics, facts, quotations, and allusions to a well-known event are useful. Ensure they are pertinent to the mission or business of the company. Enter the primary argument, which is your desire for an interview with the business."

"Generally speaking, the letter should consist of two to three paragraphs. Keep in mind that the person organizing the applications is pressed for time and is searching for resumes that grab their attention right away. Content ought to:

Clearly understand the needs and strengths of the company.

Emphasize your unique qualities and advantages over the other applicants.

Show interest in the chance to discuss how you can help the company face-to-face.

Express gratitude to the reader for taking the time to review the resume. Take a look at a winner.

Specify your current position title (if you have one) and sign your name.

Put "Enc:" for enclosures after the signature and list the files that are attached (resumé, application, list of references, etc.).

Make sure your tone is courteous and interesting.

Professional yet personable.

Maintain a fluid flow of thought and be succinct.

Possess no slang and no prejudice toward any race, religion, politics, or sexism.

Be perfect in your grammar, spelling, capitalization, and use of apostrophes."

Finally, talk about the reader's potential subtle effects of formatting. Discuss about:

the distinction between "all business" and "relaxed" formatting in blocks and modified blocks

the effect of stationary weight and envelope quality (wealthy versus common)

the effects of one, one-and-a-half, or double paragraph spacing (difficult to read, lack of white space, or excessive white space suggesting insufficient information)

The standard format for applying for a job is a cover letter, a resume, and references.

Students can assess the sample cover letters and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both documents in pairs or as a class. (L-C-6-2_Sample Cover Letters).

Instruct students to choose a local business from the list of ideas they came up with or to concentrate on a company they intend to apply to. They should complete the Drafting a Cover Letter handout (L-C-6-2_Drafting a Cover Letter) before writing the letter. As needed, move around to respond to inquiries and make recommendations. Peer review is not required. To give feedback before requiring a polished draft for the final assessment, you could also gather the letters.

Ask students to come up with an analogy using the think-pair-share method or during the entire class discussion.

What are the similarities and differences between a persuasive essay and a cover letter?

What are the similarities and differences between a Facebook profile and a cover letter?

What similarities and differences exist between a book cover summary and a cover letter?

Extension:

For practice, students could draft multiple attention-getters for the same letter, taking into account the effects of each method.

Ask local business owners or school officials to review and provide input on the letters.

Students might reflect on how other work-related correspondence—such as grievances, personnel evaluations, resignation letters, thank-you notes for interviews, etc.—might have comparable formatting and drafting considerations depending on the needs of the audience.